Halloween in New Westminster: Local Events to Celebrate This October
Halloween is just around the corner, and New Westminster has plenty of ways to get into the spirit. From ghost tours and creative workshops to family trick-or-treating along the riverfront, there’s something for everyone this spooky season. Here are four Halloween events happening in New West this October.
1. Spooky Halloween Sip N’ Strum
Date: October 31, 7:00–8:30 pm
Location: Mechanics of Music Studio, 208 Osborne Avenue, New Westminster
Celebrate Halloween with music and good company at Mechanics of Music’s Spooky Halloween Sip N’ Strum. Bring a guitar or ukulele, sip a seasonal drink, and learn Halloween-themed songs in a fun, casual setting. Costumes are encouraged, and all skill levels are welcome. It’s a relaxed way to enjoy a musical Halloween night in New West.
Learn more on Mechanics of Music
2. The Ghosts of New Westminster Walking Tour
Date: Select evenings in October
Location: Begins at Hyack Square, New Westminster
Explore the darker side of the city with The Ghosts of New Westminster walking tour. This guided 90-minute experience uncovers haunted sites, eerie stories, and historic legends from New West’s past. Hosted by Coldspotters Paranormal, the tour combines local history with true ghost tales and recent paranormal investigations.
3. Brush Hour Paint Night: Ghostly Campfire
Date: October 31, 6:30–8:30 pm
Location: Itilia Kitchen & Bar, 810 Quayside Drive, New Westminster
Unwind and get creative at Brush Hour’s “Ghostly Campfire” paint night at Itilia Kitchen & Bar. This guided paint-and-sip evening includes all supplies — canvas, paint, and apron — with food and drinks available for purchase. Come for dinner, stay to paint, and take home your own Halloween-themed artwork.
4. Trick-or-Treat on the Quayside Boardwalk
Date: October 31, 5:00–7:00 pm
Location: Quayside Boardwalk, behind 960 Quayside Drive, New Westminster
Join the Quayside community for a family-friendly trick-or-treat evening along the riverfront. Residents and local businesses will be handing out candy from decorated tables and stations throughout the boardwalk. Families can stroll the waterfront, enjoy the views, and take part in the New West Family Place activity zone.
Kids who complete the River Market Scavenger Hunt can bring their passports to the boardwalk between 5–7 pm for a chance to win prizes. This free, outdoor event is stroller-friendly and a great way to experience Halloween in the heart of New West.
5. Halloweekend: Botanical Terrors & Animal Fears
Date: October 25 and 26, 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Location: Along the Fraser River, New Westminster
Guests are invited to explore the spooky side of nature along the Fraser River. Through fun, hands-on activities, participants will uncover the truth behind scary plants and animals—separating myth from fact while discovering the fascinating (and sometimes fearsome) wildlife that calls this region home.
6. Uptown Halloween Escape
Date: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 3 PM – 7 PM
Location: Start at The Cove Indoor Play, Royal City Centre
Admission: Free
Families are invited to enjoy a fang-tastic, family-friendly Halloween adventure in Uptown New Westminster.
Participants can explore local shops, solve Escape Room–style puzzles, and collect spooky clues for a chance to win prizes. The fun begins at The Cove Indoor Play in Royal City Centre, where guests can pick up their puzzle maps before setting out on the “Escape Uptown” adventure. Along the way, visitors can stop for a photo booth session, create glow-in-the-dark crafts, and decorate their own Halloween tote bags.
Activities include:
Escape Uptown Puzzle Adventure: Start at The Cove Indoor Play to collect your map, then explore Uptown to uncover the missing puzzle pieces.
Photo Booth: Capture your Halloween spirit and celebrate your puzzle success.
Halloween Tote Bag Craft: Personalize and decorate your own trick-or-treat tote.
7. RCLAS Halloween Event – Tellers of Short Tales with Poets Wanted: Dead or Alive
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 7:00–9:00 PM (Doors 6:30 PM)
Location: Centennial Lodge, Queen’s Park, New Westminster
Admission: Free
The Royal City Literary Arts Society invites you to a chilling evening of poetry and storytelling at Centennial Lodge in Queen’s Park.
Hosted by Chelsea “Mothwoman” Comeau and Janet “Lady Raven” Kvammen, the event features the Haunted History BC “Spooky Sisters,” Gina Armstrong and Victoria Vancek, with a special short story by J.G. Chayko.
Share your own dark or mysterious poem at the open mic, or read a classic piece by a “dead poet.” Costumes are encouraged, with prizes for the best ones.
Feature Guests
Haunted History BC “Spooky Sisters” – Authors and historians Gina Armstrong and Victoria Vancek share their award-winning blend of storytelling, paranormal research, and BC heritage.
J.G. Chayko – Vancouver-based writer and actress, winner of the 2024 RCLAS Write On! non-fiction contest. Learn more at jgchayko.com.
Celebrate Halloween in New Westminster
Whether you’re looking for something spooky, creative, or community-driven, Halloween in New Westminster offers a mix of local events for all ages. From ghost tours to live music, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the season right here in the Royal City.
Did we miss something? Let us know!
